American football is one of the most popular sports in the world. The objective of the game is to score points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone or kicking the ball through the opposing team's goal posts. The team with possession of the ball (offense) has four attempts or downs in which to advance the ball at least 10 yards towards the opponent's end zone. If the offense gains at least 10 yards, it gets a first down and starts a new set of four downs to gain another 10 yards and/or to score.
The distance the offense needs to gain for a first down is measured with first down measuring chains. These measuring chains include a 10 yard metal chain with poles attached to each end. Two individuals (the “chain gang”) hold the poles along the sideline and then carry the poles and chain onto the playing field when a measurement is needed.
Players often run and/or are pushed out of bounds and collide with the first down measuring chains or the chain gang, occasionally resulting in injury to the players and/or the chain gang. The chains are also difficult to use and slow the pace of the game. Also, because the chains are positioned along the sideline during plays, they don't provide the players, coaches, or fans an obvious indication of the distance needed for a first down. Television networks often superimpose a computer-generated line of scrimmage and/or first down line on an image of the football field so that television viewers can more readily see how far the offense has to go for a first down, but these lines can only be seen by television viewers and are therefore no help to players, coaches, and fans at the game.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved system and method for indicating and measuring first downs and other markers on football fields and other sports fields.